Strawberry plant named &#39;Driscoll Sausalito&#39;

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry named ‘Driscoll Sausalito’. The variety is similar to the varieties ‘Driscoll Lanai’ and ‘San Juan’. The variety is distinguished from ‘Driscoll Lanai’ and ‘San Juan,’ in particular, by its sweetness, acidity, internal color, longer petal length, longer flower diameter, anythocyanin color and coloration and moderate resistance to powdery mildew.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

The variety is botanically identified as Fragaria×ananassa.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The strawberry variety denomination is ‘Driscoll Sausalito’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new variety originated as a result of a controlled cross between thestrawberry plants ‘San Juan’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,899) and 14C185(Unpatented Driscoll Variety) in an ongoing breeding program, and wasdiscovered in Monterey County, California in 2000. The original seedlingof the new cultivar was asexually propagated by stolons in a Nursery inShasta County, California. Propagules were transplanted to a controlledbreeding plot in Monterey County, California, where the variety wasidentified and selected for further evaluation. ‘Driscoll Sausalito’ wassubsequently asexually propagated and underwent further testing inMonterey County, California for five years. This propagation and testinghas demonstrated that the combination of traits disclosed herein whichcharacterize the new variety are fixed and retained true to type throughsuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety ofstrawberry named ‘Driscoll Sausalito’. The variety is botanicallyidentified as Fragaria×ananassa. The new variety is distinguished fromother varieties by a number of characteristics as set forth in Tables1-4.

Comparison to Similar Varieties

The varieties which we believe to be similar to ‘Driscoll Sausalito’from those known to us are ‘Driscoll Lanai’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,145)and ‘San Juan’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,899). There are severalcharacteristics of the new variety that are different from, or notpossessed by ‘Driscoll Lanai’ and ‘San Juan’. For example, the newvariety has a different internal color, longer petal length, longerflower diameter, different anythocyanin color and coloration and ismoderately resistant to powdery mildew.

‘Driscoll Sausalito’ is distinguished from its parent, ‘San Juan’ asindicated in Tables 1-4. Plants of 14C185 were not available for side byside comparison. ‘Driscoll Sausalito’ differs from 14C185 by havingbrighter red, more uniformly colored berries and superior shelf-life.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographs show typical specimens of the new variety,including fruit, foliage and flowers, in color as nearly true as it isreasonably possible to make in color illustrations of thesecharacteristics.

FIG. 1 shows the whole the plant.

FIG. 2 shows the upper side of the leaves of the plant.

FIG. 3 shows the under side and upper side of the flowers.

FIG. 4 shows a close-up of the fruit.

FIG. 5 shows the fruit in longitudinal cross-section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed description of the new variety is based uponobservations taken of plants harvested from a nursery in Shasta country,California in October, 2004 and held in cold storage until planting inMonterey County, California in November 2004. Plants were grown inraised beds of soil under conditions typical of commercial strawberryproduction in Monterey County, California. Observations of ‘DriscollSausalito’, ‘Driscoll Lanai’, and ‘San Juan’ were made in side by sidecomparison in July 2005. Fruits were harvested twice weekly from April,2004 to November, 2004 for yield determination. Color designations,color descriptions, and other phenotypical descriptions may deviate fromthe stated values and descriptions depending upon variation inenvironmental, seasonal, climatic and cultural conditions. Colors aredescribed and the most similar color designations are provided from TheRoyal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Propagation

The new variety is principally propagated by way of stolons. Althoughpropagation by stolons is presently preferred, other known methods ofpropagating strawberry plants may be employed.

Characteristics of the New Variety

Information on the new variety is presented in Tables 1, 2, 3 and 4. Inthe tables, the flowers described are secondary flowers except whereindicated. The fruit described is the secondary fruit on seven month oldplants. Fruit and flower measurements are an average of both primary andsecondary fruit and flowers.

Table 1 provides information on the plant and fruit characteristics ofthe new variety ‘Driscoll Sausalito’ compared with characteristics of‘Driscoll Lanai’ and ‘San Juan’. Table 2 provides additional informationof the plant and fruit characteristics of the new variety ‘DriscollSausalito’ compared with characteristics of the varieties ‘DriscollLanai’ and ‘San Juan’. Table 3 provides reactions of the new variety tostresses, pests and diseases compared with reactions of the varieties‘Driscoll Lanai’ and ‘San Juan’. Table 4 provides isozymecharacteristics of the new variety as compared to that of the varieties‘Driscoll Lanai’ and ‘San Juan’. TABLE 1 QUANTITATIVE COMPARISON OF‘DRISCOLL SAUSALITO’, ‘DRISCOLL LANAI’ AND ‘SAN JUAN’ ‘Driscoll‘Driscoll Sausalito’ Lanai’ ‘San Juan’ Plant Characteristics Height ofPlant (cm) 24.7 23.4 28.9 Spread of Plant (cm) 45.6 38.3 51.7 Number ofCrowns 3.5 3.3 4.3 Leaf Characteristics Terminal Leaflet Length 6.9 6.77.5 (cm) Terminal Leaflet Width 6.6 6.6 7.6 (cm) Terminal Leaflet 1.041.00 0.99 Length/Width Ratio # Teeth/Terminal Leaflet 17.8 21.1 20.4Color of upper side 137A 139A 147A medium green medium green medium todark green Color of under side 137C 138B 147C light green light greenlight green Petiole Length (cm) 19.4 18.0 25.7 Petiole Diameter (mm) 3.62.9 3.7 Petiole Color 145B 145A 149A yellow green yellow green yellowgreen Petiolule Length (mm) 8.0 10.7 7.5 Petiolule Diameter (mm) 1.8 1.72.1 Petiolule Color 145C 145A 149A yellow green yellow green yellowgreen Bract Frequency 8% 0% 33% typically typically single singleStipule Length (cm) 3.5 3.2 3.5 Stipule Width (cm) 0.9 0.8 0.7 StolonCharacteristics Anthocyanin color 185A 60A 59A greyed purple red purplered purple Diameter at bract (mm) 3.16 2.93 3.49 Avg. # of Daughter 5659 69 plants (2003 Nursery) Flower Characteristics Petal Length (cm) 1.41.1 1.1 Petal Width (cm) 1.3 1.2 1.2 Petal Length/Width Ratio 1.08 0.940.90 Flower Diameter (cm) 3.1 2.8 2.6 Calyx Diameter (cm) 3.6 3.9 3.5Sepal Length (mm) 11.4 11.7 11.7 Sepal Width (cm) 5.5 4.8 5.6 PetalColor 155C 155C 155C white white white Receptical Color 154C 154C 154Cyellow green yellow green yellow green Anther Color 13A 9A 9A yellowyellow yellow Fruiting Truss Length 25.3 25.3 33.1 (cm) FruitCharacteristics Fruit Length (cm) 3.8 3.8 3.9 Fruit Width (cm) 3.6 4.04.3 Fruit Length/Width Ratio 1.04 0.96 0.90 Average Berry 2.18 23.9 25.4Weight (g) External Color 46A 45B 53A orange red orange red dark redInternal Color 35A 47C 44A whitish orange red red Achene Coloration 185Ato 162B 185B to 154B 46B to 16A greyed purple greyed purple dark red toto greyed to greyed yellow yellow yellow Achenes per berry 195 292 304Achene weight(g) 0.0006 0.0005 0.0006 2004 Marketable Yield 1,283 1,377984 (g/plant)

TABLE 2 QUALITATIVE COMPARISON OF ‘DRISCOLL SAUSALITO’, ‘DRISCOLL LANAI’AND ‘SAN JUAN’ ‘Driscoll ‘Driscoll Sausalito’ Lanai’ ‘San Juan’ PlantHabit flat flat globose to flat globose Canopy Density medium openmedium Vigor weak to medium medium medium Leaf Shape in cross sectionslightly concave slightly concave flat to slightly to flat convexInterveinal blistering medium medium medium to strong Glossiness weakweak weak to medium weak Number of leaflets three only three onlysometimes more than 3 leaflets (approx. 17% of leaves) Terminal leafletmargin profile revolute revolute revolute to flat Terminal leaflet shapeof base rounded rounded obtuse to rounded Terminal leaflet shape ofteeth rounded rounded rounded Stipule pubescence sparse medium to mediumdense Petiole pubescence sparse to medium dense medium medium Petiolepose of hairs outward downward outward to downward Stolon Anthocyanincoloration very strong strong strong Thickness medium medium to thickmedium Pubescence very sparse dense medium Inflorescence Positionrelative to foliage beneath to level level to above beneath to levelDiameter of calyx relative to larger same size to larger corolla onsecondary flowers larger Diameter of inner calyx relative to largerlarger same size outer on secondary flowers Spacing of petalsoverlapping overlapping overlapping Fruiting Truss Attitude at firstpicking prostrate prostrate prostrate Fruit Predominant shape conicalconical to ovoid conical to almost cylindrical Difference in shapesbetween slight slight moderate primary and secondary fruits Band withoutachenes medium narrow to narrow medium Unevenness of surface weak weakmedium Evenness of color slightly uneven even even Glossiness strongstrong very strong Insertion of achenes level to above level with levelwith fruit surface surface surface Insertion of calyx level to abovelevel level Pose of the calyx segments spreading to spreading tospreading to reflexed reflexed reflexed Size of calyx in relation tofruit on same size smaller same size secondary fruit Adherence of calyxstrong strong strong Firmness of flesh medium medium firm Evenness offlesh color slightly uneven uneven slightly uneven to even Distributionof flesh color marginal and marginal and marginal and central centralcentral Hollow center size small medium medium Sweetness strong mediummedium to strong Texture when tasted fine fine medium Acidity weak tomedium medium medium Time of First Flowering After mid-Februarymid-February mid-February Planting in 2005 Harvest Interval in 2005early April to late March to late March to early November early Novemberearly November Type of Bearing partially partially partially everbearingeverbearing everbearing

TABLE 3 REACTIONS TO STRESS PESTS AND DISEASES FOR ‘DRISCOLL SAUSALITO’,‘DRISCOLL LANAI’ AND ‘SAN JUAN’ ‘Driscoll ‘Driscoll Sausalito’ Lanai’‘San Juan’ Reaction to Pests Tetranychus urticae susceptible susceptiblemoderately susceptible Lygus hesperus susceptible susceptiblesusceptible Reaction To Diseases Botrytis fruit rot susceptiblesusceptible susceptible Powdery mildew moderately susceptiblesusceptible resistant Verticillium wilt moderately moderatelysusceptible resistant resistant Strawberry Mottle Virus moderatelymoderately moderately resistant resistant resistant Xanthomonasfragariae moderately moderately moderately susceptible susceptiblesusceptible

Isozyme Analysis

In addition to the morphological description above, the new cultivar‘Driscoll Sausalito’ has been analyzed to obtain an indication of itsgenetic makeup to provide further means for identifying the new varietyand distinguishing it from other somewhat similar and/or relatedstrawberry varieties. Specifically, leaf samples of ‘DriscollSausalito’, ‘Driscoll Lanai’ and ‘San Juan’ were analyzed byelectrophoresis for isozyme patterns of the enzymesphosphoglucoisomerase (“PGI”), leucine aminopeptidase (“LAP”) andphosphoglucomutase (“PGM”). See J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 106:684-687.Isozyme characterization of the three varieties is presented in Table 4,with the letters representing the banding patterns for each enzyme asdesignated in the above-identified article. TABLE 4 ISOZYME ANALYSIS FOR‘DRISCOLL SAUSALITO’, ‘DRISCOLL LANAI’ AND ‘SAN JUAN’ ‘Driscoll‘Driscoll Locus Sausalito’ Lanai’ ‘San Juan’ PGI A2 A1 A2 LAP B3 B3 B3PGM C2 C2 C4

1. A new and distinct variety of strawberry plant, substantially asshown and described.